You cannot tour Florence, Italy without hearing the names of the great celebrities of the past. In one church alone La Chiesa della Santa Croce (Holy Cross Church) three famous people are buried there: Michaelangelo, Galileo, and Niccolo’ Macchiavelli. Macchiavelli…
I stood at a certain spot in the Piazza Della Signoria in Florence. It is a large plaza in the heart of the old City, right in front of the Palazzo Vecchio (“Old Palace”). There at my feet was a…
We checked in at our hotel on Via Guelfa in Florence and they told us that the best shopping was just a two minute walk behind the hotel. So we unloaded our luggage and went in search of bargains. I…
The magnificent church towers over all the city. No matter where you are in Florence, all you have to do is look up, spot the dome, and you will know where you are. The Duomo in Florence is one of…
It is simply massive. I am speaking of “il Duomo” in Florence Italy. Standing next to it, you just feel the immensity of it. This magnificent cathedral that sits in the heart of Florence overwhelms, intimidates, and feels you with…
I had never heard of her until I went to Florence, Italy a few months ago. But now I thank God for Anna Maria Luisa de Medici. She was the last of the Medici family, and she was dying without…
From the 14th to the 17th century the Ottoman Turks were a serious force to contend with in Europe. In fact, in 1453 the Turks finally captured Constantinople, the last vestige of the Roman Empire. They continued their sweep into…
One day my wife and I were in a taxi traveling to our Bed and Breakfast in Rome and I saw a sign on Prenestina Street: “Chiesa Cristiana Evangelica” (Evangelical Christian Church). We read enough Italian to say, “Hey! That’s…
It is a city on water. Whether you are approaching by air or traveling by train across a causeway you are stunned the first time you see Venice. It is a city that should not exist. Majestic cathedrals, palaces, and…
My son’s wedding was in La Basilica di Santa Maria in an area of Rome called Trastevere. That area is what you would think of when you think of an old Italian city. Very narrow winding cobblestone streets with little…